New Sandy Hook Elementary School Unveiled Today

SANDY HOOK, CT — Media got a sneak peek at the new Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday.

• See a photo gallery of the new school here.

The new $50 million school is set to open in the Fall of 2016.

First Selectman Patricia Llodra has been joining tours over the past few weeks for parents, members of Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity and others. Llodra said every detail was designed with the children in mind, from the subtle curves of the halls to nature throughout.

• See also: Newtown First Selectman Thanks Monroe for Being 'Kind and Compassionate Neighbors' in Aftermath of Tragedy

"A curved wall is much harder to build than a straight one, but each detail of the school was designed with the students in mind. I like to think of it as children getting a great big hug when they come in," Llodra told Patch. "There's trees and nature, and it's very soothing. It feels like an embrace."

Llodra said earlier this month that the town is "very grateful to the taxpayers of Connecticut for giving our town the funding to build this school. Our goal was to create a place of community and learning, a place that would honor those we lost and allow those who were left behind the chance to move forward.”

Some members of the media were live tweeting from the evnet on Friday:

— Esteban L. Hernandez (@EstebanHRZ) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/EstebanHRZ... 29, 2016

The school replaces the old Sandy Hook Elementary School which was demolished after the 2012 massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators.

“Sandy Hook will have a quiet, respectful, and appropriate opening as teachers and students return to the new school year,” said Newtown Public Schools Superintendent Joseph Erardi. “The transition to the new school needs to be as seamless as possible for the children. That is why we are setting up this day— asking everyone to give us the space we need to allow high quality teaching and learning when we return for our first day of school.”

The new building was being built by Consigli Construction Co., Inc. and designed by Svigals + Partners.

The new school's enrollment numbers are expected to be over 500 from preschool through fourth grade.
Learn more here.

Related:

• Demolition Begins at Sandy Hook Elementary School | Patch
• Sandy Hook Elementary Construction Update | Patch

Photos by Wendy Mitchell

See more photos here, taken by Wendy Mitchell on Friday, July 29, 2016.